5 Top tips for working at height
Working in the construction industry can make it difficult to avoid working at heights on a daily basis. Although it may not be possible to avoid the risk you can ensure that you manage it by being aware of how to work safely.
Working at height safely is the responsibly of your employer as well as yourself. You should always be aware of the risks and ensure these are managed correctly. Every new job you are asked to work on will have been fully risk assessed and you should see a copy of this before you start. These risks have been measured on the sequence of events you are working too, if these change you need to be aware of what to look out for to ensure your safety.
- Where possible try to use extendable tools or mechanical assistance to avoid you working at height.
- Try to identify a safe place to work that is already in place, e.g a concrete flat roof or guarded mezzanine floor.
- Never work on a surface that is vulnerable such as glass roof. If this is not possible explore the use of machinery such as an elevated work platform or a tower scaffold.
- Try and minimise the distance of a possible fall, there are numerous ways to do this safely
- For jobs requiring a small distance form the ground, Stepladders and Platform Ladders are a suitable option. These can only be used where the risk has been deemed as low.
If you are still unsure and would like to look at refreshing your knowledge we offer an e-learning course for you to sit whenever is convenient for you.
